One Masterpiece. Many Perspectives

Hello Mona Lisa

Kolkata, New Delhi (2006-2023)

More than five centuries after Leonardo da Vinci completed the Mona Lisa, the portrait continues to captivate the imagination of the world. Scientist, mathematician, inventor, engineer, anatomist, and artist, Leonardo da Vinci remains one of history's greatest creative minds—a true Renaissance polymath whose ideas continue to inspire innovation across art, science, and human thought.

Hello Mona Lisa

Inspired by the enduring mystery and universal appeal of the Mona Lisa, Habiart Foundation, in association with Genesis Art Gallery, launched an ambitious cross-cultural initiative in 2006 to reinterpret one of the most celebrated paintings in the history of art.

Bringing together contemporary artists from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Italy, and the United States, the project invited each participant to engage with Leonardo's masterpiece through their own artistic language and cultural perspective. Rather than recreating the original, the artists explored its symbolism, mythology, and enduring relevance, producing works that reflected contemporary concerns while paying homage to one of the world's most iconic images. The resulting exhibition became a dialogue across cultures, generations, and artistic traditions, demonstrating how a single work of art can continue to inspire fresh interpretations centuries after its creation.

The project affirmed that great works of art are never static. Just as Leonardo transformed the visual language of the Renaissance, these contemporary artists reimagined the Mona Lisa through the lens of the present, revealing its extraordinary ability to transcend geography, time, and culture while continuing to provoke curiosity, reflection, and creative expression.

Present Connections

Leonardo da Vinci's influence extends far beyond the history of art. His extraordinary curiosity and interdisciplinary approach continue to inspire innovation in science, engineering, medicine, education, and design.

Across the world, educational institutions, research programmes, and creative initiatives draw upon Leonardo's legacy as a model of imagination, experimentation, and lifelong learning. His anatomical studies remain milestones in medical illustration; his notebooks continue to inspire engineers, architects, designers, and inventors; and his holistic approach to knowledge has become increasingly relevant in an age that values collaboration across disciplines.

At the beginning of the twenty-first century, global fascination with Leonardo experienced a renewed resurgence. The relocation of the Mona Lisa to its specially designed gallery at the Louvre Museum in Paris, together with the phenomenal international success of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code, introduced Leonardo's life and work to an even wider audience, reaffirming his place in popular culture as well as in art history.

Mona Lisa's Wardrobe

Rohan Pariyar - Dress Designer

Seated with her right hand resting above her left, the Mona Lisa symbolizes Renaissance art’s portrayal of a virtuous woman and a devoted wife. Widely theorized as the wife of an affluent silk merchant, she is dressed in 16th-century Florentine fashion.

She is not wearing any jewellery, and her hair is elegantly simple, gathered atop her head, allowing the curls that frame her face to flow freely. The first of the many items of clothing is stockings, which were made from bias-cut fabrics of wool, velvet, silk, or linen. She could possibly be wearing hand knitted silk stockings given her status in the society. Just below her knee, she secures a pair of garters, traditionally fastened on the outside of the knee to avoid constraining her movement.

Next, she wears a chemise or camicia, a linen undergarment worn along the skin. It is long and voluminous, with sleeves extending wide beyond her wrists.

The next item would be a gamurra or camurra, worn over the chemise. It was a popular dress style of the 15th and early 16th centuries. Its bodice is stiffened like a corset with bones, typically crafted from whalebone or metal. This helped to embrace the shape of her body, accentuating her curves. It could be laced up either at the front or back using metal rings or meticulously hand worked eyelets. Florentine fashion favoured a wide, slightly off-the-shoulder neckline, as in the case of the Mona Lisa, with a hint of her bust. Her skirt is richly gathered at the waist.

The gamurra, while considered informal attire, was worn at homes, though the fabrics used could still be very expensive.

Sleeves were separate from the bodice. They were tied in place at the shoulders, with puffs of the chemise intended to be seen. While sleeves could be elaborate, embroidered, and bejewelled, the Mona Lisa’s sleeves remain soft and simple. Her sleeves contrast her garment as we see golden sleeves paired with the black gammura. The slightly extended length of the sleeves is considered a subtle display of wealth.

Unlike in a formal setting where a lady might wear one or two additional garments over the gamurra and accessorize with fine jewellery, the Mona Lisa wears a guarnello, an informal over gown.

A guarnello was typically associated with children, pregnancy, or perhaps breast feeding. They were usually made of linen, but Mona Lisa’s is made of silk with gold silk embroidery that controls the gathers at the neckline. Although the guarnello would be worn loose during pregnancy, it is widely believed that the Mona Lisa’s is tied at the waist with a sash.

A gold-wired coif was placed at the back of her head to cover the hair, providing a means to fasten fine linen, or as in this case, a silk veil, in place. Thus, this ensemble completes the informal day-at-home outfit of a Florentine lady who sat down to be painted by the greatest painter of all times.

In 2023, in collaboration with the Italian Consul General in Kolkata, Gianluca Rubagotti, the project evolved into a broader multidisciplinary exploration that extended the dialogue surrounding the Mona Lisa beyond the painted image. Alongside newly commissioned contemporary artworks, visitors in Kolkata, encountered an exceptional recreation of the wardrobe of the Mona Lisa. Bengali designer Rohan Pariyar meticulously recreated a series of garments representative of those worn by a Florentine noblewoman of sixteenth-century Italy, offering rare insight into the elegance, craftsmanship, and social culture of Renaissance Florence. The inclusion of costume and textile heritage broadened the exhibition's narrative, bringing Leonardo's world vividly into the present.

The exhibition was further enriched by a specially commissioned essay by Chiara Rostagno, one of Italy's leading authorities on the conservation of Renaissance art. Rostagno had the distinguished responsibility of overseeing the latest major conservation programme of The Last Supper, Leonardo da Vinci's monumental masterpiece housed in the refectory of the Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. Drawing upon her unique expertise, her essay took the readers on an illuminating journey into the life and genius of Leonardo da Vinci, exploring his artistic innovations, scientific curiosity, and the enduring enigma of the Mona Lisa. Her contribution provided an invaluable historical and scholarly perspective, deepening the exhibition's exploration of Leonardo's legacy and reaffirming the timeless resonance of his work.